The Crimson Tide
by Kathryn0505
Summary: What happened after Harper's Island? Begins right after Abby stabs Henry and continues on from there. Abby/Jimmy
1. The Crimson Tide Comes In

**A/N: Okay guys, this is my first attempt at a Harper's Island fic, so I'll try my best. I am so sad that HI is over and I must do something to keep it alive haha Since I have literally nothing to do except read a stupid book for my English Lit class (Wuthering Heights, *cringe*), I hope to spend a lot of time working on this. Please, please review! Disclaimer: I own nothing! =[**

* * *

~Abby~

"Abby? Abby!" I hear vaguely from behind me. I turn to acknowledge the man lying behind me, but as I do my eyes are once again drawn to the face of my best friend. My brother.

What have I done? is all I can think as my gaze shifts down to the boarding knife protruding from his abdomen. From the wound comes a steady stream of blood, a river of crimson that washes over the rocks as the waves lap at Henry's head and immobile body.

For a moment all I know is how still he is- his chest does not rise nor fall, his eyes stare up at me, glazed over, without blinking. The last thing he saw was me pushing the blade through his body. The last thing he saw was my betrayal and my trying to kill him.

"Henry?" I whisper, my voice weak from the cold breeze against my skin and the freezing water rushing over my feet. "Henry?" I venture again, hoping for a response, as I reach over and shake him. I move closer to feel a pulse and continue shaking him with all of my strength as I desperately scream his name.

"Abby! Abby!" Jimmy yells again. I ignore him. Can he not see what I've done? Does he not see Henry lying on the ground, the blood pooling beneath him only to be washed away by the increasing tide?

The next thing I know is that Jimmy has grabbed me from behind and is pulling me away from Henry's still form. I struggle against him, desperate to hold onto any hope that the Henry I once knew will look up at me and say that this has all been a horrible joke. A horrible, terrible, perverse prank.

Although on any normal day Jimmy could easily overpower me, he is not at his best today and can no longer hold onto my struggling, hysterical body. He lets me go and I sink to the ground, allowing the crimson-stained water to wash over me as I gaze into Henry's lifeless eyes. I reach over and take his hand.

It's already cold.


	2. Our First Steps

**A/N: Well, I have another chapter! Yay me! I normally suck with updates. I'll probably post another one later after I get some reading done since my chapters tend to be so short. Please review, even if it's just to say "good" or "crap." OH! and listen to the song If It Kills Me by Jason Mraz if you've never heard it, because it's awesome! =]**

* * *

~Jimmy~

I have no idea what to do now.

I also have no idea how long we've been sitting here. At least twenty minutes. When I let go of Abby she just sat down beside Henry and grabbed his hand. At the time, I thought nothing could be worse than her screaming. Now, I know I was wrong. Nothing could be worse than her absolute stillness. I desperately want her to say something, anything, to let me know that she's still in there somewhere. But she just keeps staring blankly ahead of her, looking for something I know she isn't going to find.

What do I do? We need to get going. The weather, while it looks relatively mild, is actually bitter cold. Plus she's now all wet and shivering, which I'm sure she doesn't realize, and I just fell off a cliff, so we probably shouldn't stay much longer. But every time I go to say something to her, I can't. Part of me feels like she needs to be here just so that she can possibly begin to cope with what's happened.

However, just as I once again try to work up the courage to get her to stand up and come with me, she turns and looks at me calmly. Just as quickly as she'd started to panic, she's once again perfectly rational.

"We need to leave. You need to get to a hospital," she says. I look into her eyes, trying to gage how level headed she is right now. She seems as fine as ever, but I know that that will only be temporary.

Instead of voicing my concerns, which I'm trying hard to conceal (no sense in her worrying about me worrying about her), I reply, "We need to find a way to contact the Coast Guard. Boathouse?"

She nods in agreement. "Yeah, we can try. I guess if the radio's broken we can always just start going from door to door." She stands up, placing Henry's arm gently back on the ground. I can't even begin to contemplate how she can feel sorry for the bastard. I mean, I'm as sympathetic as the next guy, more so, according to Shane, but after all of this, I feel like I could kill him myself for putting Abby through all of this. I have no idea why he did it, but I don't care in this moment. All I know is that he's hurt her.

I put my hand on her back and guide her with me. I'm hoping she'll stay rational and won't freak out again. I won't know what to do if she does. Luckily, she starts walking with me towards where we believe the boathouse to be.

Giving her space, I pretend not to notice as she gives Henry another pained glance over her shoulder.


	3. Never Alone

**A/N: New chapter! Yippee! Also, if you haven't already, after reading this, go read seghen's story 'Not Just a River in Egypt' .net/s/5224973/1/Not_Just_a_River_in_Egypt It's seriously brilliant! **

* * *

~Abby~

I'm well aware as we walk away from the shore that Jimmy keeps giving me concerned glances at intervals. He's trying not to let me see, I know, because he doesn't want me to worry.

It makes me love him even more. Him, trying to protect me still, even after he went over a cliff, almost died in that church, slept through the slaughter in The Cannery, and almost got blown up on the docks. Even after all this, he is still concerned with my wellbeing.

I'm not sure how that can be. In a way, this entire thing is my fault. No, that's ridiculous. How could I know that Henry would end up killing the entire wedding party just to fulfill a childhood wish of mine? And even though I keep telling myself that, even though I _know_ that I can't be held responsible, I nevertheless can't help but _feel_ responsible.

Jimmy just snuck another glance at me. I know he's surprised by my sudden change in mood. To be honest, I'm not quite sure what's going on with me either, but I know that I could have stayed sitting there all day. Somehow, it felt like if I moved from his side all of this would suddenly become real. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay in my imaginary sanctuary for long. Every now and then I could hear Jimmy hiss out a pained breath, once again quietly, so as not to disturb me, and that was enough to bring me back to reality.

Because after all of this, the very least I could do was allow him to get to a hospital.

Another part of me, in the very back of my mind, is ashamed to admit that I'm also doing this for me, for I need him to get better; I know that there is no chance of me getting through this alone. Not again.

I need him. I love him. With those thoughts, I suddenly feel very isolated, despite the fact that he's maybe two feet from me, at most. To remedy this, I reach over and take his hand in mine, needing to know that he's there with me.

He is. He gently squeezes my hand in response.


	4. Leaving the Island

**A/N: So I got no reviews on my last chapter *sob*, but I'm posting this one because I'm bored haha I only have 28 pages left of Wuthering Heights! Woohoo! Please review!**

* * *

~Jimmy~

"Look, there's the boathouse," I needlessly say to her, more to fill the silence than to inform her of the structure that she's already seen anyway. The short walk here was a silent one; neither of us know what to say, nor do we want to talk about something we'll surely have to face in a few hours once we reach the mainland and talk to the police.

Abby nods, and we finally reach the building. Abby enters first, and goes over to the radio. From what we can tell at first glance, there's nothing wrong with it. When she makes no effort to call out to anyone on the radio, I do so myself. We wait for a response.

"Why wouldn't Henry destroy the radio?" I wonder aloud to her. "Wasn't he afraid one of us would eventually reach it?"

Abby looks down, and turns and walks away a bit, seemingly thinking of a response. "He didn't think I would want to use it." She looks up at me then, but I'm too surprised to utter a response. Why wouldn't she want to use it? Henry must've been more deranged than I had imagined. However, the radio prevents me from thinking about it further.

"Harper's Island, this is the Coast Guard. Please state your names and explain your situation," buzzes the radio.

I turn away from Abby and focus on the task at hand. 'This is almost over', I wish I could think. We're almost getting off of this crazy island.

But I venture a glance at Abby, and know in the back of my mind that this is far from over.

* * *

~Abby~

The Coast Guard comes not long after Jimmy reaches them on the radio. They instructed us to go to the harbor, and by the time we walked there they were just coming on shore.

It's rather unnerving the way they look at us. Almost like we shouldn't be standing in front of them, like we shouldn't be here at all. Then I remember what Henry told me about the bodies in the church, and it makes sense.

I'm not sure what they're telling us, though I hear chatter. I honestly haven't been listening. Thankfully one of us is, because after a few minutes I feel Jimmy putting a blanket around my shoulders and guiding me to the boat.

Jimmy and the Coast Guard climb in the boat after I do, and I move so close to Jimmy I'm practically sitting on top of him. After another minute or so, we're being taken away from the island.

I don't turn around for a last look.


	5. A Glimmer of Hope

**A/N: My longest chapter yet! It's a celebratory chapter since I finished Wuthering Heights! I don't recommend it. Please review! To jasperthewalkingchillpill, it wouldn't let me reply to your review, but thank you very much for taking the time to send it! I know this is kind of a rambling chapter, but oh well. =]**

* * *

~Jimmy~

We arrive at the hospital within the hour. I personally hadn't wanted to go, but Abby gave me this look that was pleading with me to get checked out, so I did so to humor her. Now I'm almost wishing I hadn't, as we've been sitting in the ER waiting room for about an hour, despite the fact that there's no one here besides us.

Just as I'm ready to convince Abby to leave with me, a girl of about 14 or 15 comes through the double doors. "James Mance?" she asks me. I nod. "They're ready for you now."

I stand up, glad that they're finally ready for us. I turn to the girl- Kate, her ID says. "Can she come with me?" I gesture to Abby.

Kate looks at Abby. "Sure, it's not a problem," she replies as she makes her way toward the double doors. Abby gets up to follow along, and I detect in her eyes that she's relieved.

Kate guides us around a corner and into a small room. She turns on the light and tells us that the doctor will be in shortly to see us. I thank her, and she leaves quickly.

I sit down in the chair in the room, certainly too sore to make it onto the narrow bed, which looks dauntingly high. Abby sits down on the bed without a word, and absently begins playing with her fingers.

"How long do you think we'll be here?" I ask her. I don't want to stay long, especially since I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with me.

"I don't know," she responds, shrugging. "It didn't really seem like there were many people here. Hopefully it won't be too long."

Just as she finishes her sentence, the doctor comes in. He looks momentarily confused to see me in the chair and her in the bed. "Mr. Mance? I'm Doctor Connally. The police have informed me of what happened. How do you feel?"

I'm glad that the police told him what went down. They picked us up and took us to the hospital, and told us they will be here to take us to the station afterwards.

"A little sore all over, but not too bad. My leg's a little worse," I say honestly. I figure if I'm already here I might as well be treated.

Abby glances at me and, seemingly not pleased with my answer, adds, "He went over a cliff and was almost blown up."

The doctor, despite having been informed of the island, looks surprised for a moment. "Well, we'll take you to a scan so we can see if there's any internal damage. Then we'll see about your leg." He goes over to the cabinet and pulls out a gown. "Miss?" he turns to Abby. "Could I ask you to please give us a moment?"

Abby's eyes dart to me, obviously not wanting to leave to be by herself.

"She can stay, it's fine with me," I rush to her aid. I honestly don't care what she sees, it's up to her. I don't want to be by myself either.

"Okay, it's up to you guys." Doctor Connally states. "I'll be back a little while later. A tech will come in to take you to the scan soon."

"Thank you, doctor," I say as he exits the room. I take the gown and strip down to my boxers. It takes me more than a little time to figure out how the gown is supposed to go.

I try to suppress my grin as I see what is the first normal reaction from Abby yet; her eyes move over to me, looking up and down my body. Then she sees me watching her and she quickly looks away.

The small smile on her face convinces me that there is still hope.


	6. No Fun at the Police Station

**A/N: Wow, this is much longer than my norm. My friend called me like an hour ago and was like "So, are we still hanging out today?" and I had to tell her "Um, did we have plans?" haha So I got this chapter done in case I don't get a chance later. Did everyone else miss HI as much as I did last night? =[**

* * *

~Abby~

Considering it took us an hour to see the doctor, I was very surprised when the rest of our hospital experience took very little time. The tech came in and took Jimmy to his scan, forcing me to stay in the room by myself. I had only read half of one magazine when he was brought back, with the promise that the doctor would soon look at his results and come tell us how it looked. Within half an hour the doctor had come in to talk to us, saying that everything looked fine, just that his leg had a very minor sprain that should heal nicely on its own. He wrote Jimmy a prescription for pain medication, and we were on our way to meet the police who were waiting outside to take us to the station.

"That didn't take too long. How does it feel?" I ask Jimmy.

"Um, not too bad," he replies. "I'll just be glad when we can finally get some sleep."

He has a point, I realize as I look at the clock on the police car radio. It's nearly 8 o'clock, and we still have to go tell police what happened. As much as I want to just go to sleep, however, I also want to get this over with and behind us.

I sigh and sink down in the seat, trying in vain to get comfortable.

* * *

~Jimmy~

The clock reads 8:16 as we pull into the police station. I go to wake up Abby, but she sits up before I even realize she was awake. We both get out of the car and head into the building, ready to get this over with.

A detective meets us inside. "Miss Mills, Mr. Mance, if you could please come with me…?" he asks, leading the way into a small room with a table and three chairs. "My name is Detective Estrada, please take a seat." We sit. "I understand that you both wish to make this as short as possible, so I just need you to answer a few questions." Upon seeing us both nod, he continues. "We found what we thought was both of your bodies inside the burned church. Can you tell me how it's possible that you're both sitting across from me?"

I look at Abby, since I have no clue what happened except for the fact that after almost getting shot in the church by Henry, I wake up tied to a pole in some abandoned building. In one way, I'm as eager to hear what Abby has to say as much as Detective… whatever his name is, but I know how hard this is going to be. I reach over and take Abby's hand under the table. She looks up at me, takes a breath, and begins to explain.

"Henry-," she begins.

"That's Henry Dunn, correct?" questions the detective.

Looking mildly irritated at having been interrupted, Abby just continues. "Yes, Henry Dunn told me that he put blood samples in the church so that it would look like we all died in the fire."

The detective- my god, what is his name? Est- something. Estevez? No. Est… oh crap, this is going to drive me crazy- makes a note and asks another question. "When did this happen?" He looks at Abby when he asks the question, correctly assuming that I know next to nothing.

"After I woke up. Henry knocked me out in the woods, and I woke up in a house. I went downstairs, and tried to get away. I broke through one of the glass doors and ran to an abandoned building. Jimmy was in there, but he was tied up. Henry caught up with me, though, and dragged me back to the house. And then he told me that he made it look like we were all dead by putting the blood samples in the church."

"And did he say why he did so?"

Abby pauses. "He-… He told me that he didn't want anyone to find us there. He wanted to stay there forever." Abby looks at me, clearly holding back tears. "He wanted to live there forever, with me. He thought it was what I wanted, like when we were kids."

With that said, Abby gets up and flees the room, leaving me and Detective Est-something alone and staring after her.


	7. More Police Station Joy

**A/N: Does anyone watch Big Brother or True Blood? At least I have something to watch. Oh and by the way, the chapter where they're in the hospital had a character named Kate...? I used to volunteer in an Emergency Room when I was 15. It sucked. So that character was based off of me haha Thank you all for lovely reviews!**

* * *

~Abby~

As soon as I leave the room I take a deep breath, attempting to clear my thoughts. I see that there's a chair against the wall, and I make my way over and take a seat. I lean my head back and just focus on breathing for a few moments, already feeling a little bit better. I feel a little ashamed that I ran out like that, but it was so suffocating in there that I don't think I could have taken any more.

Jimmy should be able to answer all of the questions from there, so I don't think I'm particularly needed anymore. But… isn't that kind of selfish? I mean, Jimmy went through this trauma, too, not just me. Jimmy lost people… he lost Shane. Hell, he woke up to see his friend strung up in the middle of the Cannery.

Shame floods my senses again. I've been there before. Twice, actually, I've had to look up at the body of someone I love dangling in the air.

I take another breath to try to calm myself. Feeling slightly more focused, I get back up and return to the room where Jimmy and Detective Estrada are sitting.

After all, neither of us should have to do this alone.

* * *

~Jimmy~

I'm surprised for a moment to hear the door open and to see Abby walk through it. She takes care to shut the door quietly, and makes her way over to where I am still sitting. Before I can say anything, Detective Whose Name I Still Don't Know speaks up.

"Miss Mills, we're just about finished here. Mr. Mance has examined a list of the deceased and has confirmed what we thought." At that, he makes another little scribble on his legal pad. Abby takes that opportunity to catch my eye and mouth 'I'm sorry' to me. I give her what I know must have been a puzzled look, but before either of us can communicate further, Detective What's His Face continues, "Unless you have any questions, we're done here."

"Did you find Wakefield's body?" Abby inquires, in a voice much stronger than the one she possessed when she left the room.

"Yes," the detective confirms. "We found him in the church. We were able to identify him without a problem. Do you have any further questions?" Both of us shake our heads. "Well, then, we have arranged rooms for you at a hotel for the night. We can have a car take you there, if you'd like…?"

"Yes, thank you, Detective," Abby responds.

"The car will be waiting outside for you both when you're ready," he says as he stands. He makes his way over to the door. "Oh, Miss Mills, we retrieved your suitcase from the island. We'll have it sent over to the hotel." With that, he leaves the room.

Not wasting another second, I turn my entire metal chair around to face Abby. "What are you sorry for?" I ask, placing my hand on hers where it is resting on her leg.

"Ditching you when I left the room," she says, not quite looking at me, but not looking away either. "We both went through this. Neither of us should have to do this alone, right?" She looks up at me, trying to read what I am thinking.

Her concern for me makes me love her all the more. I slide her chair, with her in it, across the short space between us and put my arms around her. I place a kiss to her forehead.

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you, too."

We stay like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company. We eventually stand up, ready to get to the hotel and get some sleep.

On our way to the door, I can stand it no longer. "What was the name of the detective?" I ask her, pulling open the door and holding it open for her.

She laughs at me a bit as she replies, "Estrada!"

That's it! That would have driven me crazy!


	8. Hotel Worries and Fears

**A/N: This is my longest chapter thus far (by a lot), although it advances the plot very little. Sorry about that. I guess it's either substance or quantity with me haha. What I'm sure I will later think of as unfortunate, I have to read another book for my Lit class (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier), but I'll try to keep the updates rolling. Please review, I spent a considerably longer amount of time on this chapter than usual. =]**

* * *

~Abby~

By the time we are in the lobby of the hotel, we both look like we're about to drop from exhaustion. After a little internal debate, the woman at the front desk gives us each a key to a room and asks us if we need anything. Just wanting to go to bed, we both say no and make our way to the elevator.

The elevator ride is a silent one, to say the least; it's also a tense one. When confronted with the option of one room key or two keys, neither of us knew which option to choose. Although we both have made our feelings known, we haven't been together long enough to be completely sure of what the other is thinking. In the end, I took the second key, wanting to give Jimmy space to breathe without having to walk on eggshells around me (which I know he's been doing this whole time), and at the same time knowing that, as much as I love him, I still need a little while to myself.

The elevator doors open, and we both make our way to our rooms. His comes up first, and mine ends up being the last door of the hallway. He bids me goodnight as I pass him, and makes his way into his room. I feel his gaze on me as I walk the rest of the way to my room, and it's not until I have opened my door successfully that I hear his click shut.

The room is actually surprisingly nice. It's simple, but elegant, with dark furniture and long purple curtains that puddle on the floor. The room it softly lit, and I can see an intricate design painted on the wall where the light shows.

I take a moment to look at the large glass window directly across the room. I remember for a moment that the last time I was in a hotel room my father was being yanked out of it and hanged. With that thought, I'm suddenly wide awake.

I turn on the main light, feeling uncomfortable in the dark. I draw the bolt on the door behind me and begin to look around. Spotting the bathroom, I make my way inside, hoping to find a robe so that I can take a shower and not have to put my clothes back on.

When I spot what I'm looking for, I make my way into the shower, thankful to have the chance to wash away some of the day's residue. Even though I know that I'm not actually washing away what's happened, it makes me feel a bit calmer to imagine so.

I jump when I hear a loud bang outside the bathroom. I ignore it, figuring that it's only my imagination and nerves getting the better of me. I hear something scrape against the main door of the room- the one, thankfully, that I remembered to lock- and then silence. I quickly finish up in the shower, but once I'm done washing I just stand there, letting the water pour, for a few minutes, irrationally afraid that when I step out something will be written or posted on the mirror.

It seems that recent events and clichéd horror movies have made me more frightened than I'd like to admit, even to myself.

* * *

~Jimmy~

I'm exhausted out of my mind, but I know that I won't be able to sleep until I take a shower. Just as I'm contemplating that line of thought, a knock on the door draws me away from my thoughts. For a moment I think it's Abby, who valiantly tried to hide her uneasiness from me as she made her way down the dark hallway to her room. I was a little surprised that she chose two rooms, but I know that she needs her space.

I open the door, fully ready to see the pretty, if frightened, brunette on the other side of it. You can imagine my surprise when it's a man of about 50, short but stocky.

"Your reservations were made by the police," he reminds me. "One of the detectives sent you a change of clothes," he adds upon seeing my questioning look. He hands me a plastic bag I hadn't noticed he had on him.

"Oh, thank you very much," I say to him, quite grateful to have something to change into. He nods and leaves, allowing me to go into the room at last.

I actually take a moment to look at the room this time. It's pretty, but a bit fancy. Wasting no more energy on examining it than that, I make my way over to the shower and wash up in what I think is the fastest shower of my entire existence.

I put on my new clothes and look at the clock. Four minutes have passed. This is going to be the longest night ever.

I once again hear a knock on the door. Opening it, I'm confronted with a different man than the one who brought me the clothes. This one is also short, but unbelievably skinny.

"I have a suitcase for an Abigail Mills?" he half asks.

"Well, she's staying in another room," I reply, slightly puzzled.

"I tried her room, but there wasn't an answer. I understand that you both came in together. Would you like to take it for her?" he offers as a way of explanation.

"Yeah, okay. Thank you," I say, taking the suitcase from him. I manhandle it into the room, surprised at its weight. I'm reminded of another time, when I carried an equally heavy bag for her, albeit that was for a fun camping trip and this is for something else entirely.

I wrestle the bag inside, and place it along the wall. I take a seat on the bed and try not to think about why she didn't open the door for the guy with her suitcase.


	9. Torments of Our Own Minds

**A/N: So, yeah, I'm back to short chapters apparently. Sorry! I'll post longer stuff tomorrow, I promise. Like always, please review, I love hearing from you guys! Also, I started reading Rebecca and was shocked to find that it's actually *really* good! But school has taught me that most books that we have to read suck, so I'm still waiting for it to take a turn for the worse. Anyway, enjoy! =]**

* * *

~Abby~

I finally work up the courage to get out of the shower, although it does take a little longer than it probably should. I dry off, put on the robe I had brought into the bathroom, and pull open the curtain, mentally preparing myself to see something on the mirror or someone in the room.

Luckily for me, there was, of course, nothing out of the ordinary. On one hand I'm slightly (only very slightly) relieved; on the other, I'm concerned that I panicked that much because of a sound at the door. I briefly contemplate going to Jimmy, but ultimately decide that he's babysat me enough and that I don't want to be a burden. I make up my mind to try to get over it and just get some sleep, even though I don't think that will be very likely.

I walk into the main area of the room and go over to the bed. I pull the large comforter and sheets down, and climb in, not bothering to change out of the robe. I turn the lights off by the bedside lamp and try to fall asleep, knowing that I'm hoping for an impossible outcome.

* * *

~Jimmy~

As hard as I'm trying not to, I can't help but worry about Abby. After I received her suitcase I went to bed, not wanting to check on her in case she just wanted time to herself and didn't want to answer the door. Or, maybe she just fell asleep and didn't hear the knock.

However, all of the scenarios I'm trying to comfort myself with aren't working. I'm still afraid something's happened to her even though I know we're safe now, and another part of me- the part I don't want to acknowledge- is worried that maybe she did something to herself. The Abby I always knew was a strong person- she still is, I can tell by how she reacted when the first murder- that of Thomas Wellington- occurred. She was as calm and collected as could be. But reason tells me that there's only so much one person can take; eventually all of the right switches will be flipped and the outcome… Well, I really don't want to think about going to find her in the morning and opening the door to see her on the floor…

Okay, I can't take it anymore. I flip the covers off and sit up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I'd rather she be pissed that I invaded her privacy and woke her up than find her in a bloody mess on the floor, no matter how unlikely of a scenario that is.

But just as I get up out of the bed, my morbid thoughts are cut off by a knocking- no, a _banging_- on my door. The sounds get louder and closer together, and I run over to the door, terrified that there's something wrong and that Abby's hurt or in danger.

I grab the door handle and practically fling the door open, feeling my whole body relax upon seeing Abby, technically safe and well, although obviously frantic, on the other side.


	10. Possible Solutions

**A/N: Since my chapter was so short last night, I have a longer one! Enjoy! Please review! =]**

* * *

~Abby~

By the time I get to Jimmy's door I'm near panicking. I bang on his door as hard as I can, wondering what's taking him so long. Just as I'm about to start yelling his name through the door, he rips the door open. He looks… stressed, for one, but there's something else there. Concern?

I dart in the door before he can say anything, leaving him to shut it behind me, since he hasn't released his death grip on the handle yet. He shuts the door and turns to face me, obviously wondering why I'm so freaked out.

"Can I stay with you?" tumbles out of my mouth before I even realize it. My words remind me of Kelly, pleading with me to let her come stay with me, and I shut my eyes, hoping that this will shut off the memories but knowing it won't.

I feel immensely stupid, standing in front of him, panicked because I heard something against the window and just below my hotel room. I had vowed not to bother him, and here I am bothering him, hoping he wasn't already asleep when I banged on the door. I look down, and remember I'm in a robe and nothing else. Fantastic.

"Of course," he replies, not looking annoyed for a single moment. He puts an arm around me and leads me into the room a little further. "Did something happen?" he questions, not demanding, just concerned, as he begins to move his hand up and down my spine.

"Yes. No." Well, that's not confusing at all. "No, not really," I finally decide on. I start playing with the strings on the robe, hoping he'll just drop the subject. I'm starting to feel tired again and just want to crawl into bed and pretend for a little while that the last few days weren't real.

He must have noticed my fidgeting because he informs me, "One of the hotel guys brought me your suitcase when you didn't answer your door. It's right there." He gestures to my suitcase, placed against the wall.

I don't really know what to say to that, so instead of responding I just give him a weak smile and make my way over to it, glad that I'll have something to wear. I think I packed enough clothes for a month instead of a week (I have a bad habit of over-preparing), so I'm sure I'll find something.

"I'm going to get changed," I say, unzipping the suitcase and pulling some clothes out.

"Okay, take your time," he responds, and I make my way over to the bathroom and shut the door. I see the light go out from the crack beneath the door and assume that he's getting back into bed.

I change into my pajamas, once again feeling silly for harassing him when he's obviously exhausted and trying to get some sleep without me clinging to him. I linger a bit and then make my way out of the bathroom, prepared to fix my mistake.

* * *

~Jimmy~

I climb back into the bed, feeling the exhaustion creeping back after my fear for Abby's safety has subsided. She takes a little longer in the bathroom than I would expect, but I wait patiently for her to come back out.

I don't have to wait for much longer. She comes out newly dressed in mismatching pajamas. For a top she has on a pink tank top, but her bottoms are blue satin long pants with clouds on them. I find it amusing that she doesn't bother to find both parts of the set, but my amusement ceases when I notice how uncomfortable she is.

She lingers outside the bathroom door, playing with her damp hair. After a moment she releases the lock she'd been twisting around her finger, seemingly making a decision.

"You know, I'm just gonna go back to my room," she decides.

For a moment I'm surprised, since she not that long ago ran into my room in a frenzy. But when she continues, I understand what's going on.

"It's pretty late, and I don't want to keep you up." She turns to make her way to the door before I can get a word out.

"Abby," I say simply, in a tone that makes her stop without turning around to face me. My voice has stopped her in her tracks before, when I jokingly told her that I'd gotten married since she'd been gone. Oh, what a lie that had been. As if I could ever have married someone else. "Come here, it's fine." I gesture for her to come over to where I'm leaning up in the bed.

"No, I-"

"Abby, I want you to stay, I'll sleep much better knowing that you're safe." This is the truth, although I only tell her so so that she won't feel like she's being a burden (which she's of course not). I figure that I'll have a much better chance of making her stay if she knows that I want her here as much as she wants to be here.

She eyes me warily, as if she's not quite certain if I'm telling the truth. I slide over in the bed and hold up the sheets, waiting for her to move. After a few moments she does, walking over to the bed and climbing in, keeping her eyes on me most of the time. She settles in, fidgeting around to get comfortable, and I lie down beside her, close but not quite touching.

She turns her head to look at me, the dim moonlight streaming through the sheer curtains on the windows.

"Thank you," she says simply, and leans over to kiss my cheek.

"You're welcome," I respond, looking into her eyes, and I kiss her full on the lips. We both settle down into the bed, hoping that each other's presence will be enough to keep the monsters away.


	11. The Willow of Many Colors

**A/N: My longest chapter ever, but one of the least eventful. I hope you guys enjoy it, I must say I am sort of proud of it, perhaps foolishly. I find that I'm much more productive at night for some reason. Also listen to the song 'Innocence' by Sarah Buxton, it seems to fit. Please review, even if you hate it, and let me know if you listened to the song, it's good! I know the flashback thing is a different for me, but I figure variety is the spice of life. A review would be especially nice this chapter, since this is so off the wall for me. Thanks to AislinnNicole1, beldoge, stress, Andrew B. Callahan, Erin, jasperthewalkingchillpill, Katie 452, and Jinkins for reviewing. Enjoy! **

* * *

~Abby~

I awake in a sudden fright, feeling immediately ill at ease in the dark hotel room. I push my tangled hair out of my eyes and look over to the clock on the bedside table, noting that it's only been an hour since we fell asleep. I look beside me and see Jimmy dozing in what looks to be a fairly peaceful slumber, and am overwhelmingly glad that I haven't awoken him.

I note the light coming in through the windows and as gently as possible remove the arm that has draped itself across my waist. I slide out of bed and make my way over to the window, taking a seat in the high-backed chair stationed beside it.

Feeling like I'm suffocating, I lean up, pull the sheer curtains back, and open the window a bit, just enough to be able to feel the Seattle air seeping into the room. I sigh and remember a time when things were much simpler, a time when my biggest worry was whether or not Jimmy would like me back and what I would wear to Nikki's party. I can see the moon, glowing silently in the night sky, almost full but not quite, and I am transported to another time and place.

_I can't believe I'm doing this. Sneaking out in the middle of a Thursday night, what would my parents say if they found out? I nevertheless creep over the windowsill of my bedroom and glide across the lawn, desperately hoping that the bright moon overhead does not reveal my presence to the two people who may be watching from the bedroom window beside mine. _

_I am so dead if they find out, but at the moment I almost don't care. The October wind is a pleasant breeze against my skin as I sprint down the road to our special spot, wondering what will happen next in the perfect stillness of this night, and I, all of 17 years old, feel my heart thumping in my chest in anticipation as I turn into the woods and slow down a bit, trying to catch a breath._

_He's already waiting for me, of course. He stands casually before me as I half-jog up, arms across his chest, and beams a smile at me when he spots me. I go up to him nervously, with all of the emotion of a young girl falling hard and fast, and he meets me halfway, slinging an arm casually around me and kissing my temple._

_"I'm surprised you made it," he says, and I think I see the hint of a teasing smile on his lips._

_"Well, Jimmy, you told me I should take a risk every once in a while," I whisper back. "You were right. So here I am."_

_This time I'm certain I see a grin and a twinkle in his eyes, one not caused by the moonlight streaming down upon us. He releases his hold of me and turns to the willow tree behind him, hoisting himself up onto the lowest branch with what looks to be little effort._

_"Come on," he says quietly, gesturing to the tree he's currently sitting in. _

_I look at him doubtfully. "There is no way I'll be able to get up there," I respond, momentarily thinking he's lost his mind. At 5' 2" I'm not the shortest person in the world, but there's been more than a few times that I've wished for an extra few inches on my height. One of those times being now._

_"Oh, ye have little faith," he jokes in a mock accent. "Come here." I walk over to the base of the tree, wondering what's next. "Put your left hand there," he gestures to a notch in the tree trunk, and I follow his directions. "Now grab my hand with your other one." He extends his hand to me, steadying himself on the branch he's sitting on. I do as he says, and try to pull myself up with my left hand as he pulls me up next to him. _

_"See? Not hard at all," he whispers to me, so quiet I wouldn't be able to hear him if I weren't at his side. He has a silent confidence I've always admired, a confidence I've always lacked. He is an escape and a freedom, a free spirit, I a trembling girl whose just beginning to open her eyes, thanks to him. _

_He leans in to kiss me, and my heart feels like it's jumping out of my chest. No matter how often he does this, it still feels like the first time, and I lean in closer to him, pressing his back into the tree trunk, holding onto his arm in an attempt to not plummet the 6 or so feet out of the tree._

_We stay in that tree for what must be two or so hours. We talk of everything and nothing, the topics of interest ranging from what we'll do at school tomorrow to what we'll be doing next summer to what we want from the next few years._

_My legs have long since fallen into a near painful slumber, forgotten, when we decide to depart. Jimmy gets out of the tree before me, fearlessly jumping off of the branch. I look down at him and feel like I'm twenty feet up, but I make my best effort to slide down the trunk. Before I fall and break a leg he grabs me and lifts me down, his touch lingering even after I'm safely out of the willow._

_"I'll see you tomorrow at school," I whisper, not yet wishing to leave but knowing I should. He leans down to kiss me goodbye, and we go our separate ways._

_I can't help but notice how different my return journey is compared to my trip there. I left worried, terrified my parents would catch me, butterflies whipping around in my stomach; I go back, the butterflies still present, but calmed considerably, their flutter a gentle calming sensation instead of a frantic flight. I no longer care if my parents have found me out; nothing could disturb the bliss of this night, nothing could take away the joy._

_I creep back into my room as silently as possible and quickly put on my pajamas. My clock reads 3:42 am, and I suppress a groan at having to wake up in a few short hours. I climb into bed, the sensation of Jimmy's kiss still lingering on my lips and the cool night air still brushing across my skin, and I drift to sleep a long while later._

A rustling of the trees outside brings me back to the hotel room, to the chair I'm currently sitting in, the night air floating past me. That was only the first of many such late night excursions; Jimmy and I must have gone to that place three or fours times a month, more frequently if it were a particularly trying week. I knew no greater place than our sanctuary in the woods, knew no greater company in those months than I have in my entire life. I lived for those scattered moments, lived to feel him next to me, to hear his voice in those woods.

I had thought that those moments could last forever, but reality caught me off guard a few months later when I looked up to see my mother hanging lifeless from a willow tree, the very tree that had been ours for so much time.


	12. A Distance Revealed

**A/N: I think I've seriously been working on this chapter on and off for about three hours. Sorry it took so long, I'm just not focused. =]**

* * *

~Jimmy~

When I wake up I feel like an absolute zombie, like someone who can't quite shed the last layers of sleep. I'm not sure what woke me up, as I usually sleep like a log, but I lazily extend my arm across the bed and realize with a start that Abby is no longer in it beside me. I panic for a moment, now fully awake, my eyes darting frantically around the room, and my gaze settles on her silhouette over by the window.

I open my mouth to say something to her, but she looks so lost in thought that I just watch her for a moment. I wonder how I'm going to help her through this when I'm trying to process what happened myself. I just know that I would give anything, do anything, to take this all away for her.

As I watch her, her eyes change from a misty glaze to alert and melancholy. She still hasn't noticed me watching her, though, so I continue to look on. She bends over, her head in her hands, and I hear her whispering to herself, but can't quite make out the words.

She stays like this for a few moments, but she eventually sighs and stands up, closing and locking the window that she must've opened when she got out of bed. That sounds so…couple-y, that she _got out of bed, _and for a moment I'm saddened that my thoughts imply a closeness that we no longer possess. I shake away these thoughts, immediately feeling guilty for wanting more from her when she's just been through this awful experience. There will be time for that later; right now I need to focus on her wellbeing.

Before I have time to think more about it, Abby turns around to come back to bed but gasps and jumps, startled when she sees that I'm awake and watching her.

"How long have you been awake?" she whispers. "Did I wake you?" she continues, a guilty tint to her voice.

"No, I don't think so," I respond honestly, "and not very long. What were you thinking about?" I ask her, trying not to sound like I'm prying.

She pauses for a moment, seemingly wondering how to answer my question. She moves over to the bed and sits on top of it, right next to me. I put my hand on her knee, and she finally decides how to answer. "I was thinking about us."

"How do you mean?" I ask her, beginning to absently stroke the part of her leg that I can reach, although keeping my hand low so as not to scare her.

She lets out a breath I hadn't known she'd been holding. "I was thinking… I was thinking about how we used to sneak out at night and go to our spot in the woods."

Of all the things I expected her to have been thinking about, I never expected her to say that. We've never talked about our night trips since her mother was killed, mostly because we just never had the chance and then she left, but also because I never wanted to bring it up, feeling that most likely it would just remind her of her mother instead of reminding her of us. And when she never brought it up I felt my suspicions confirmed, and so it went without being talked about. Until tonight, apparently.

She continues, though, saving me from having to respond. "I used to love those trips," she tells me, quietly, as though speaking any louder will disturb the night and the mood. "They were the best thing in my life. _You_ were the best thing in my life," she finishes, looking away from me, obviously uncomfortable by her own admission.

"You were the best thing in mine, too," I tell her. You still are, I think, but I refrain from adding this. I don't want to keep her from continuing, as this is the closest we've been in... well, years.

"I woke up, and I don't know… I was just reminded of it, with the moon and you being here with me. I just find it amazing how it's so similar and yet so different at the same time. It seems like a lifetime ago. We were different people then." Her tone has a hint of finality to it, and I know the subject will drop unless I pick it up. I note how similar her train of thought is to mine from earlier.

"Hey," I say, tugging on her a bit to make sure she's looking at me. When she catches my eyes I continue, "I'm here for you no matter what. Things are only as different as we make them." I look on as she sniffles and breathes deeply, trying not to cry. She looks up at the ceiling, blinking rapidly, and a single tear makes its way down her cheek. "It's okay to cry," I tell her.

With that she lies down perpendicular to me on the bed, placing her head on my chest. A few tears leak out, silently making their way sideways out of her eyes and soaking into my shirt. I smooth her hair and she closes her eyes so that I can no longer see them, the tears ceasing.

While I'm glad that she's opened up to me a bit, I know she has a long way to go. I just hope she lets me help her.


	13. Not Your Fault

**A/N: Sorry! I'm being slow with updates! I'll be better tomorrow, I promise! =]**

* * *

~Abby~

We lie like this for so long, I think he's fallen asleep. My eyes are still shut in my attempt to stop crying, so I can't be sure if his are shut, too, or if he's just giving me space by not speaking.

I don't want to wake him, but I have a question that I've wanted to ask him for a while now. Chancing it, I whisper his name, loudly enough so that he will hear me if awake, but softly enough so as not to wake him if he's asleep.

His answer is immediate, though brief. "Mmm?" He resumes stroking my hair, a nice, calming sensation. I open my eyes to look at him, and he's gazing right back at me. I have a feeling he was watching me the whole time.

"Do you think..," I begin, but as soon as I start I'm not sure I want to continue. I've wanted to ask him this since I found out that Wakefield knew my mom, but now that I have the chance I'm not sure if we should disturb old memories.

"Abby? You can ask me anything," he tells me, and one of his hands slides from my hair to my hip, drawing circles on my skin where my tank top has ridden up.

I pause for a moment, willing myself not to cry. "I always thought that he just killed my mom because she got in the way, but now that I know that he knew her… that he had a child with her… he must have known who I was, too. It makes me wonder if he chose that tree because he knew it's where we always used to go."

Jimmy's silent for a moment, as if he's not sure what to say. He's still watching me, though, still has his hands on me, and it reminds me for a moment that this could be much worse. I could have lost him, too.

"I don't know if he knew about the tree," he finally says, choosing his words carefully. "It's possible."

"I think he did," I reply. "I think he knew. It makes me sick to think he was always in the shadows, that he could have done anything at any time. I hate that he tainted that place for me. He did it purposely to hurt me."

Jimmy gestures for me to move, and I follow his directions, settling myself parallel beside him, my right hand seeking his left across his chest, his right arm across my back. I feel protected. I feel safe.

"I'm so sorry," he says. "I'm sorry that this has happened." He brushes a kiss across the top of my head.

"Don't be," I reply, "Henry did this because of me, not you." I hold back the 'Henry killed everyone because of me' part, knowing he'll disagree and knowing that even mentioning it is pointless, for the words linger in the air.

He tightens his grip around me. "This is not your fault," he says. "You couldn't have known what Henry would do. It's not your fault you didn't see it, none of us did."

It suddenly occurs to me how little he actually knows. Henry explained to me why he did the things he did, but I don't think he ever told Jimmy, and neither have I. I decide he needs to know so that he'll understand.

"When Henry and I were kids…"

~Jimmy~

Even after Abby has told me why Henry went crazy and killed every one, that he wanted to be alone on the island with her, like she'd said when they were young, I still don't think it's her fault. I stand by my original theory; she couldn't have known that Henry would do this, and she couldn't have stopped him. But she won't have any of it.

"Maybe I could have talked to him, told him that's not what I wanted," she tries to reason with me.

"He wouldn't have believed you," I counter. "And he wouldn't have cared, anyway. He loved you, Abby. He still would have wanted you for himself."

"How can you not think this is my fault?" she demands. "You almost died. Many times. Most of the people you know are dead." All trace of sadness is gone from her eyes, replaced by anger. Anger that's currently directed at me, apparently for not agreeing with her faulty logic.

"I don't think it's your fault because it's not," I tell her, keeping my voice in an even tone.

"Well, you're wrong," she states, and she moves out of my embrace and slides away from me. I suddenly feel cold, but I let her go. I doubt she's actually mad at _me_, so I try not to get worked up about it. She rolls onto her side, facing away from me. "Goodnight."

"Abby…," I try.

"I don't want to talk about it any more," she finishes the conversation.

I take a deep breath, hoping to keep my emotions in check. "Goodnight," I respond. "I love you."

And that's when I hear her start to cry.

* * *

**A/N: Don't worry, all will be resolved next chapter. =]**


	14. Late Night and MidMorning Conversations

**A/N: A longer chapter, because I started it last night and finished it today. Enjoy! =]**

* * *

~Abby~

"I love you," I hear him say, and to my horror I'm once again crying, but this time I can do nothing to control my sobbing. I try to keep as quiet as possible, but I can't hide from him.

"Abby, what's going on?" I hear him ask, and I'm overwhelmed with a feeling of shame. Even after my outburst of anger, he's still there for me, still trying to figure out what's wrong. I don't know what I did to deserve him.

"I'm sorry," I squeak out, "I'm not really mad at you." I turn onto my back, so that I don't have to face him but I'm not closed off from him either.

He takes my hand, and I start crying even harder, my other hand making its way up to hide my face. "Why are you crying?"

"Because I don't know how you can love me after all this. I don't know why you're talking to me now, after the way I snapped at you," I try to explain.

Jimmy turns on to his side to face me, and gets closer so that his chest brushes against my side. "I love you because you're an incredible person, Abby. You've always been Number 1 in my life, and that hasn't changed. I don't blame you for any of this, and my feelings for you aren't going to change."

"I can't help feeling guilty, though, for what Henry did. I know you don't think it's my fault, but _I_ think it's my fault, and I don't think that'll change any time soon," I respond, and I'm growing calmer, now that we're talking about it properly.

"This is all just going to take time," he tells me, and I know he understands. He leans over and kisses the tears off my cheek.

"I'm sorry for getting angry, it's just that I feel so guilty that you went through this too that it's easier for me to be angry," I try to explain. "I'm sorry about Shane, and Nikki, and everyone else." I turn my head to look at him, and he's giving me the most heartbreaking look I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure it's a mirror of my own face.

"If you need to hear it, I forgive you. We _will_ get through this. We _will_." He brings my hand up to his lips and kisses the back.

As he settles down beside me, I believe him.

* * *

~Jimmy~

I wake up again, this time feeling much more rested than I had the first time. Something tickles my nose, and when I reach up to swat at whatever it is, I realize that it's Abby's dark hair. My chest is up against her back and I have an arm draped around her waist. She and I must have fallen asleep by accident last night, when we were talking.

I move around a bit, trying to get comfortable without letting go of her. But she's a light sleeper, and my fidgeting must wake her up. She turns her head to look at me, blinking her eyes to try to squeeze the last bits of sleep from them.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," I tell her.

"It's okay. What time is it?" she asks, and she puts her hand on mine where it is resting on her stomach and pulls it tighter around herself. She nuzzles back into the pillow and closes her eyes.

I look at the clock. "Nine thirty," I tell her, and I lay back down beside her.

"Seriously? We should probably get up," she replies. She leans up, and my arm slides from her waist to her leg.

"What? No. We should definitely sleep more," I say, sinking farther into the pillows. She gives a light laugh and lazily, playfully hits me on the chest. I feel her get out of the bed and hear her make her way to her suitcase.

"I'm going to call the police, to see if we're free to leave," she tells me. "I don't want to stay here longer than we have to." I open my eyes to see her pulling out some clothes and heading into the bathroom.

I should probably get up, but then I realize that I don't really have to get ready, seeing as I'm in my only clothes. I hear her turn on the faucet, and I let myself imagine every morning like this: waking up with Abby, getting ready together.

For those blissful moments that she's getting ready, I imagine how happy we could be.

* * *

~Abby~

I, too, want to go back to bed, but I really do want to get out of Seattle as soon as possible. Unfortunately, that means getting up, and getting up means leaving Jimmy alone in the bed.

I get some clothes and my makeup bag, and head into the bathroom. I brush my teeth, change into jeans and a white satin-y shirt, and throw on some mascara and foundation. I wouldn't call myself girly, but I like at least the basics, and I put powder over the foundation.

When I walk back into the room, Jimmy looks an absolute picture. He's lying in the bed, arms spread in haphazard directions, with this little smile on his face. I'm not sure what he's thinking about, but it's obviously making him happy, so I'm all for it.

I grab the police department card off of the table as I walk by and make my way over to the bedside phone, long since having lost my cell phone in all the chaos. I sit next to Jimmy, who still has that look on his face, and he starts playing with the hem of my shirt.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask him, grinning, his good mood already rubbing off on me. I pick up the phone, prepared to dial the number.

"How nice this morning is. With you," he tells me. My heart sings with this simple statement, and my smile gets bigger as I dial the number for the police department.

I'm on the phone for a few minutes, most of that time spent waiting for someone who can talk to me. I eventually get to talk to Detective Estrada, and he informs me of what happens next and answers my questions.

"What did he say?" Jimmy asks me. "Are we done?"

"Yeah, he said we're completely done. They'll call us if they need us for anything else, but we can leave as soon as we want." I pause for a moment before continuing, not knowing what he'll say. "I want you to come back to Los Angeles with me. I don't want to do this without you with me."

Jimmy smiles again. "Good. I don't want to spend any more time without you."

I smile back at him, glad that he's in agreement with me. Jimmy gets up out of bed, and I pick up the phone again, this time to call the airport. I discover that there are a few flights leaving for L.A., and I ask Jimmy which time is best.

"Get one for later tonight," he shouts from the bathroom, brushing his teeth with one of the extra toothbrushes I always bring with me. "I need to call a buddy of mine to ask him to bring me some stuff from my place. I don't think we really want to go back."

I shudder for a moment, glad that he's already thought of that. I don't think I would have wanted him to go back to the island alone, but I wouldn't have wanted to go either. Still, the decision's already been made so I don't have to worry about it.

I get tickets for a flight that leaves at ten that night. It's a bit late, but hopefully we'll miss traffic and the crowds of people who usually inhabit the airports during the day.

As I hang up the phone, all I can think of is how excited I am. I'm glad to be going home, but the fact that Jimmy's coming with me makes it that much better.


	15. Filler

**A/N: Boring, pointless filler chapter. Sorry. It will pick up later, so just be patient. And yes, Seinfeld is an amazing hilarious show. =]**

* * *

~Jimmy~

"Hey, I just called my friend. He said he's in Seattle but he'll head over to my place and bring me some stuff," I inform Abby.

"Okay, that sounds good," she replies. I see her look over to the clock. It's only 10:30, so we have just less than 12 hours till our flight.

"What do you want to do till then?" I ask her.

"Well… we should wait till you get your stuff to leave the room. We could play a game?" She's lying back in bed now that we have our plans settled and there's nothing pressing to be done.

"Like what?" I'm not a huge board game person, but if there's nothing better to do I'll play just about anything. I come into the room where she's sitting and sit beside her on the bed.

"Um…Speed?" she suggests.

"Do you have any cards?" I ask her, only to see her hold some up in her right hand, triumphantly.

"Alright, Speed it is," I smile, and we sit over at the table so that we can spread the cards out.

After a few rounds, I quickly realize that I'm fighting a losing battle. The object of the game being to be faster than the other person, I quickly realize that I'm never going to win.

"This isn't fair," I whine. "You're way faster than I am. It's not a fair competition."

"Well, then you shouldn't be so slow," she laughs at me, slapping the part of the table that has no cards, winning the game. "Do you want to watch some television?"

"Yeah, let's see what's on," I tell her, and she grabs the remote as we head back over to the bed. She starts flipping channels, until I (rather too emphatically) tell her to stop on a certain channel.

"This?" she asks me, giving me an incredulous look.

"Are you kidding me? This is a classic!" I'm right, of course. No one can argue that Seinfeld is not awesome.

"I've never seen it," she replies.

"You've never seen Seinfeld?" I ask her, doubtfully. She shakes her head no. "Seriously?"

"No!" she laughs. She settles back onto the stacked pillows, apparently willing to watch and see.

The episode is one of my favorites. It's the one with the Soup Nazi, and every one in the city wants to go to his shop but are only given soup if they follow his odd rituals. I watch Abby throughout the show, and she seems to enjoy it. I probably look like a nut job laughing so much, but I can't help it.

Finally I see Abby start to laugh when Elaine confronts the Soup Nazi in the shop. "So, it's not that bad, is it?" I grin at her.

"No, it's pretty good. We might as well watch the next one."

But we must end up falling asleep, because the next thing I know I'm being woken up by Abby shaking my arm and calling my name.

* * *

~Abby~

"Jimmy? Jimmy!" I shake him, trying to get him to wake up. I was woken up by a knock on the door, and when I looked through the peephole I saw a man I've never seen before. I'm assuming it's his friend, but there is no way I'm putting that to the test. I've seen recently how friends can be.

"What? What is it? What's wrong?" he asks me, opening his eyes and leaning up a bit.

"I think your friend's here," I tell him, and he gets up from the bed and makes his way over to the door. He looks through the door, nods at me, and then goes outside to join him.

I can hear the faint hum of voices, but really can't make anything out. Just snippets here and there. I hear Jimmy say things like "fine" and "I don't know" and "seems okay for now," so I assume that they're talking about me, at least partly. But then the voices stop and Jimmy comes back in the door, suitcase in hand.

"Sorry, I knew he was in a hurry, so I figured I'd spare you both the trouble. I'm all set," he tells me. "I guess now all there is to do is wait."


	16. Another Filler in the Airport!

**A/N: I know, I suck at updates. Sorry! I was working on getting my driving permit (finally, I'm two years older than you need to be to get it), and then I just got distracted. This chapter's really short, too, but I will put another one up later. **

* * *

~Jimmy~

The ride to the airport didn't take nearly as long as we had thought it would. As a result, we got to the airport way earlier than we needed to, at about seven thirty. We got our boarding passes, checked in our bags, and went through the rather short security line to wait by our gate. And now we've been waiting. For what seems to have been a very long time.

"Are we just going to sit here?" I ask Abby. I'm bored out of my mind.

"What else would we do?" she replies. "There aren't any shops or anything."

"Yeah, I guess," I concede. "There's a McDonald's. We could get something there?"

"Hungry?" she grins at me. I've been eating at least every two hours, but I've been constantly starving ever since we got off the island.

"A little," I tell her. I take her hand and pull her up out of her seat, grabbing her bag for her.

"Okay, let's go then," she tells me. She reaches her hand out to grab her bag, and I catch a glimpse of something on her hand.

"What's that?" I gesture to her hand.

"What?" she asks.

"Your hand," I reply, reaching out to take her right hand. "When did this happen?" I ask her, taking in the cut on the palm.

"Oh. You didn't notice that till just now?" she dodges the question.

"No, I didn't. How did you get it? It looks painful." And it does. Fairly deep, too.

"Um, I think it was glass, when I was… with Henry," she whispers the last part.

I kiss the back of her hand and let go. "You should have had it looked at at the hospital," I tell her, giving her what I hope to be a very disapproving look.

"Yeah, but, I didn't, so can we go?" She looks impatient, so I just nod and put my arm out, gesturing her to go ahead.

"Do I get to have my purse back?" she laughs at me, once again holding her arm out.

"Are you sure you want it back?" I grin, "I think it looks rather stylish on me."

"Oh, very dashing."

* * *

~Abby~

There was no way that I was going to eat anything at McDonald's, despite his protests that I've eaten barely anything at all in days, so I sit across from Jimmy as he eats, sipping my water. He seems to be engrossed in what he's doing, and I can't keep my mind from wandering.

Does he really want to come with me? Or does he just think it's what I want? What's going to happen once we get there? How long is he going to stay? What if-

"You okay?" he looks at me.

"Uh, yeah," I reply, caught off guard. I figure I might as well voice my concerns now, or we're never going to get anywhere. "You don't have to come back to L.A. with me if you don't want to."

"What?" he looks startled.

"Well, I'm just saying… if you don't want to, it's fine, I understand, I just don't want you to feel like you have to, for me," I explain.

"Abby, I want to come," he tells me, putting down his French fry. "I… think I need to be there just as much as you need me to be there."

It's one of the few reminders he's given me that he is having a rough time, too, and it brings a tear to my eye. He notices, and reaches over the table to take my hand, squeezing it lightly. I get myself in check, certainly not about to go to pieces in an airport McDonald's.

"How do I make this easier for you?" I ask him, desperately wanting there to be something for me to do.

"Just being here with you makes it easier."


	17. Arrival

**A/N: Super short, but I'll post Abby's pov later tonight. I figure that short chapters are better than no chapters, yeah? Oh and I decided to skip the rest of the airport crap because it's boring. =]**

* * *

~Jimmy~

"Okay, here we are," Abby tells me. She gestures to the door in front of her, marked 23A. "I have to warn you that it's extremely small."

"Okay," I tell her, "consider me warned."

She turns to the door and begins fishing around in her purse for the key. She finds it and turns to me once again, opening her mouth to say something but ultimately changing her mind. She puts the key in the lock and opens the door, waving me in first.

"Wow, you weren't kidding," I smile.

"I know, we're going to be on top of each other in here," she replies, coming in after me and locking the door behind her. She flicks on the light and goes through a door on the left, presumably into a small bedroom, and leaves her suitcase behind.

"You're sleeping in the bed," she informs me.

"What? No," I stop in the middle of her living room, my suitcase behind me.

"Yes," she nods.

"I can take the couch," I tell her, eyeing it doubtfully. It's kinda small, but I am not about to rob her of her bed in her own house.

"It's too short," she counters. "And I'm shorter than you… by a lot."

I can't argue with that, and I pause for a moment, trying to think of how to beat her argument. She notices my hesitation.

"See? I'm right," she tells me, and she comes over and grabs my suitcase, taking it into the bedroom. I follow behind her, curious to see where she's been living all this time.

"Wow," I echo my earlier statement, but this time I'm not talking about the size. It's a beautiful room, although small. The floor is hardwood, and the walls are lavender, complemented by white baseboards. The furniture is a very dark cherry color, and the sheets are a deep purple with brown designs on them. "Nice room," I comment, knowing that she's been watching me look around.

"Yeah, this is where I really went to town on the place," she replies. "Unfortunately, the whole apartment doesn't look like this. Yet," she adds.

She yawns, and I frown at her. "Tired?" The clock on the nightstand reads 1:04 am.

"Yeah, a bit," she lets out. "I'm just going to get ready for bed, and then the room's all yours. Go ahead and look around the rest of the place," she tells me, and I nod and leave the room, leaving her to shut the door behind me.

The "rest of the place" consists of the small living room, which I thankfully note has both a television and a desk with a laptop in the corner, and the kitchen, which is in the back, also on the left. I take a seat on her couch, and lean my head back, resting my eyes.


	18. The Red Dress Revisited

**A/N: Trying to make up for not updating for days... And I loved that dress that she wore (the one she'll wear again, if you keep reading) =]**

* * *

~Abby~

I shut the door and open my suitcase, trying to find something else to wear. I figure that I might as well try to use up all of the clean clothes in the suitcase before I move to my drawers since I'm going to end up washing everything I had packed anyway. I start pulling clothes out and putting them in the hamper in the closet when I see the red dress that I had brought.

Picking up the dress, I start thinking about the first day back on the island. Aside from the slight run-in with my dad, it was a good first day. I wouldn't have told him at the time, but I was happy to play pool with Jimmy. It was nice to have some semblance of normality, and he definitely made it a bit easier.

I try to remember what I had been thinking about that day. I was nervous, for sure, coming back, not knowing what exactly to expect. I was a little bit excited, seeing Jimmy and Nikki again. It's odd to think that that day I had no idea what was ahead of me

At the time I hadn't really stopped to think about it, but later I wondered why Trish had been wearing her wedding dress when she died. I think I have an idea, now, as I hold my red cocktail dress out in front of me.

I take off my current clothes and put the dress on, hoping to feel some reminders of that first day. I guess I'm hoping to forget for a bit, to not know what Henry did, just like I had no idea then.

Not surprisingly, it doesn't work. I still remember every bit of what happened, and I look exhausted in the full-length mirror.

"Abby?" A knock on the door. "You okay?"

I must have taken longer than I had thought. "Yeah, I'm just…" Just what? "…just… come in," I finally tell him.

I look over my shoulder to see him open the door, slowly, as if allowing me time to change my mind. I turn back to the mirror, seeing in the reflection him coming up behind me.

"What are you doing?" he asks me, softly, snaking his arms around my waist. I lean into him, grateful to have him there.

"Remembering. Or, trying not to, rather."

He brushes my hair back and leans down to kiss my neck. I inhale sharply, startled and excited. "I like this dress," he whispers in my ear.

"Yeah?" I smile.

"Mmhmm," he purrs. He releases his grip on me, pulling back and sliding his hands to my hips. "You should get to bed," he tells me, voice regaining a normal tone, "you look tired."

"I am," I sigh, pushing my bangs out of my eyes. I walk around the room, finally finding my pajamas.

"Take the bed," he tells me, renewing the argument. I hold up my pajamas, and he turns around.

"No," I state, quickly changing clothes. "You can turn back around."

"Share the bed with me then," he says, once again facing me.

"Okay," I concede. It would be nice to have him there with me.

"Okay?" He looks surprised I gave in.

"Yeah, okay. It'll be better with you. And the couch is really uncomfortable," I tell him.

He puts his arm around me, and I can feel his smile when he kisses my forehead.


	19. Breakfast and Gwen

**A/N: Short, pointless chapter again. Do you guys have any ideas you'd like to share? I went driving with my dad on the main road today and it was so stressful. My nerves were so frazzled! Anyway, my point being that I don't foresee myself recovering enough to go again later, so I should be working on other chapters tonight! Oh, and Torchwood is a really good show (as is Doctor Who). Did anyone see Children of Earth? Oh my god, what an amazing episode! **

* * *

~Jimmy~

The first thing I notice is something tapping on my shoulder. "Jimmy? Jimmy?"

"Mmmm?" I stir a bit, trying to wake up. I open my eyes to see Abby looking down at me from her position next to the bed.

"Do you want some breakfast?" she asks me, determining that I'm now awake.

"Um, yeah, I'll come." I lean up in the bed, feeling a bit more human and alert.

"Okay." Abby leaves the room and takes a left towards the kitchen.

I get out of bed, still in my pajamas, and follow behind her. I can see that she's been up for a while, as everything is already cooked and on plates at the table.

"Sit," she tells me, "go ahead."

I sit at the table and start to eat, all the while following her movements. She's already put her plate on the table but continues moving about the small kitchen, shuffling around pots and pans and moving things to the sink. I wait a few minutes before I can't take anymore.

I put my fork down for a moment. "Abby?" She glances back at me, but continues what she's doing. "Abby, come eat." Her constant movement is making me tired just by watching her.

She pauses a moment, as if debating my request. She puts the pan in her hand in the sink and comes and sits across the table from me. "Sorry," she says, a bit sheepishly.

Conversation is light, if minimal. We've known each other for a long time, but have been out of each other's lives for so long that neither of us knows what to talk about. Finally, I can't take the silence anymore.

"What's your plan for the day?" I ask, taking a bite of toast.

"I have to go to my neighbor's to get my cat, and aside from that I really don't know. I should call my boss just to tell him… something." She sips at her orange juice.

I'm surprised she has a cat, but I decide to comment on the boss thing first. "Just tell him you can't do anything for a while."

"Yeah, I guess," she sighs. "But what else am I going to do with myself? It's going to get boring fast." She leans her chin on her arm, propping her head up on the table.

"Just think of me as your own personal human entertainment," I reply, seeing her look up and raise an eyebrow at me before breaking into a grin.

--

"This is your cat?" I ask her, taking in the feline. It's not what I expected to say the least. It's probably the smallest cat I've ever seen, with black and white hair sticking up in all directions. I thought Abby to be more of a tabby cat kind of person, and this… ball of fluff seems out of place.

She brings the cat into the apartment and shuts the door behind her. "No, it's my ferret," she replies. "What else would it be?"

"Okay, fair point," I reply, getting a bit closer to the fluff ball she's holding. "What's it's name?"

"Gwen," she tells me.

"Gwen?" I eye the cat again.

"What's wrong with her name?" She sounds defensive.

"Nothing, I just expected 'Fluffy' or 'Tiger' or something." I put my hand out and Gwen allows me to scratch behind her ear.

"Oh, well, I named her after a character on a tv show I watch," she explains. Gwen starts to fidget in her arms, and Abby sets her down on the floor.

"I thought you don't watch much television?" I comment. I watch as Abby goes around getting the cat food and water.

"I don't, just one or two shows really. Torchwood, is the name. It's good!" she adds, seeing my doubtful face. "It is!" she protests.

"I believe you," I laugh. To my surprise the cat starts moving through and around my legs, rubbing against me.

"Do you mind her?" she asks me, noticing my eye on her cat.

"No, I'm just surprised she likes me," I tell her. I'm more of a dog person; cats have never been my thing.

"Well, she must know how much _I_ like you," she comments.

"You're not so bad," I tell Gwen, leaning down to stroke her. In my head I add, 'At least you give us something to focus on besides each other.'


	20. Boredom and News

**A/N: jasperthewalkingchillpill- My mom watches Torchwood, too, I've really only seen the one ep. But I'm a HUGE Doctor Who fan, and have posted fanfiction for it here. :P**

**booksmartblonde333- I'll get to the Shea and Madison chapter soon. =]**

* * *

~Abby~

"We can't just sit here all day playing with my cat," I comment, watching as Jimmy points the laser on the wall and Gwen leaps to catch it.

"We could go somewhere?" he remarks.

"Where?" I frown.

"You've lived here for seven years. Where do you normally go?" he asks me. He has a good point, I just don't normally go very many places. When he asked me about L.A. when we were sitting in his car I made something up about the night life, not wanting to tell him that I generally don't do much.

I ignore the question, still not wanting to reveal my rather dull life. "We could… I don't know. Let me call my boss before we think about it any more."

--

"What did he say?"

"That I'm off till whenever I feel ready to come back. Turns out he saw everything on the news." Jimmy flicks on the television, and sure enough, they're talking about the island.

"Look, there's Shea," he points at the screen. Sure enough, Shea is on the screen, apparently giving some sort of interview.

"I forgot that they got off the island before us," I comment.

"How much before us?" Jimmy looks at me. The police could have been more informative.

"They left the day that we found out it was Henry, the day Trish died," I reply, keeping my eyes on the television.

Apparently Shea has become the person to talk to about Harper's Island, which is more than okay with me. I don't think I could talk about it in front of a bunch of people, although I find it strangely fascinating to watch on tv.

"How can Shea do all of this?" I ask Jimmy.

"I don't know, I wouldn't be able to," he replies. I can tell he's not really paying attention to the television. I look around the room, trying to find something interesting to do. I decide that there's nothing to do, and stand up and start clearing off the coffee table and other clutter, cleaning up a bit.

"Do you want to do something still?" I call from the kitchen.

"Um, I don't really want to go anywhere," he calls back. I hear the volume on the tv go down, and I come back into the room with a washcloth and start dusting.

"Abby, what are you doing?" he stares at me.

"I'm cleaning," I state, in a 'duh' voice.

"Why?"

"Because it's dirty?" I half ask, not at all convincing.

"And?" he pushes.

"Because I find it relaxing," I add. I can't help it, really, with all the cleaning. It's been a habit of mine for years. When I'm feeling stressed or bored or upset, I clean. It's probably some control issue.

I look over to see that he's picked Gwen up and she's currently napping on his chest. "That's cute," I remark, stopping my cleaning for a second.

A low throaty sound is my only reply, but it doesn't matter because there really isn't much to say to that. I sit back down beside him, watching the news with moderate interest.

"Can we turn this off?" he asks me.

"I suppose." I reach over him to take the remote and start flipping channels. Obviously he doesn't find the news of our ordeal as interesting as I do.

Is it odd that I'm intrigued by it? It's a bit sick that I'm so interested in hearing about all of the deaths that I lived through just a few days ago, some of them as recent as yesterday. I decide that I probably don't want to think about how that reflects on my character and state of mind and push the thought away, content to just watch something light.

"We should go see Shea and Madison," Jimmy comments, out of nowhere.

"Not yet," I say quickly.

"Why not? Maybe they're worried. And curious," he tells me.

"I'm not ready yet. She'll have all sorts of questions for us," I say.

Oh, how I'm not looking forward to that meeting. I'm afraid it's right around the corner, unavoidable.


	21. Meeting Shea and Madison, Part 1

**A/N: Okay, I'm having a lot of trouble uploading this chapter, so I think the paragraphs are gonna look weird, sorry. Also, I know it was an awkward place to stop the chapter but I didn't want to write any more, and I figured you guys would rather have this now than wait for me to finish the chapter. **

* * *

~Abby~

I'm right in thinking that it won't be long before we'll have to face Shea. She calls two days later, in the middle of the afternoon, asking us to come over to her house to make a visit. I hate her choice of the word "visit." It implies that this is going to be a friendly, nice stay. It won't be. It's going to be uncomfortable and painful, because I know she's going to need answers as much as I don't want to give them.

"Is this it?" Jimmy asks me, gesturing up to the large brick house in front of us. I check the address I have written on the paper in my hand and nod. "It's huge," he says as we pull into the winding drive.

"Can't we just turn around and go?" I plead. He turns to me and gives me a look.

"I suppose we could," he admits. "But she'll be disappointed. And a bit pissed."

"Yeah, I guess," I sigh. I hope to stay only a little bit. Shea asked us to spend the night, as it's quite a drive from my apartment, but I don't want to stay any longer than a day. At the absolute longest.

Shea opens the front door and Madison comes running outside. They must be excited to have been waiting by the window for us, or more likely anxious. Jimmy and I step out of the car and I wait for him to walk around it before I go up to Shea and Madison.

"Hey, come on inside," Shea waves us in the house. Madison has taken a place next to my side, and tugs on me.

"Hi Shea, hey Madison," I say down to her. She smiles at me and goes ahead of me into the house.

Jimmy and I walk into a huge foyer, and I can tell by the open floor plan that the house is immaculate. Nothing is out of place, and it is beautifully decorated in a kind of Victorian style. Jimmy catches my eye and mouths "wow" to me as Shea is turned around. I subtly nod my agreement.

"Do either of you want something to drink?" Shea asks us.

"Yeah, that would be great," Jimmy replies.

Shea leads us past the staircase and down a hallway into a large kitchen. "What would you like?" she asks us, directing us to sit in the tall stools at the countertop that makes up the island of the kitchen.

"Water would be nice," I say, not a bit thirsty. I figure it will give me something to focus on. Jimmy says something that I don't quite catch, and Shea makes her way about the kitchen and we end up with two glasses in front of us.

Shea leans on the sink, on the side of the countertop opposite us. "How was the drive?"

"Long," Jimmy answers, putting down his glass of what looks to be some sort of juice. "But we missed most of the traffic," he adds.

Shea nods. "Yeah, it's not too bad. We're fairly out of the way here, that's why we chose this house."

"It's beautiful," Jimmy comments.

She gives him a weak smile. "That was another part of the reason why we chose it."

An uneasy silence comes over us, and I pick up my glass and take longs sips to keep busy. Madison appears by her mother's side, and takes one look at her and one look at the two of us. We're looking down at the counter, none of the three of us knowing what to say.

"Did Henry really kill everybody?" Madison asks in her high-pitched, inquisitive voice.

"Madison!" Shea snaps.

"What? No one was saying anything. Isn't that why they're here?" she asks.

"Go to the other room," Shea directs, her tone leaving no room for argument. Madison grumbles something unintelligible and leaves the room.

Shea visibly deflates a bit. "I don't know what to do for her," she admits.

I put my water down and finally speak up. "She seems to be handling everything okay," I say.

"That's what worries me," she tells us. "What do I when she seems to be fine when I know that she can't be?"

Neither of us knows what to say to that, so we descend into another silence. But the longer we stay quiet, the longer we're going to be here.

"Did the police tell you that, about Henry?" I ask her. Might as well get this over with.

"Yeah, yeah they did. I called them when I heard that you guys were alive," Shea responds. Another silence. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"That it was Henry?" Shea states, surprisingly calmly.

"Yeah, it was Henry," I whisper. Shea puts her head in her hands and leans her elbows on the counter. Jimmy reaches over and puts a hand on my leg, out of her sight on the other side of the counter.


End file.
